Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid says Alex Smith will remain the starter at quarterback, despite their stunning trade to move up and select Patrick Mahomes II.

The Chiefs moved all the way up from pick number 27 to 10 in a deal with the Buffalo Bills, electing to take a shot on Mahomes - viewed by many as the wildcard of the quarterback class.

While no-one will doubt Mahomes' abilities with his arm, his 'gunslinger' approach and willingness to throw the ball from any number of off-balance positions has drawn both praise and criticism.

Reid does not believe Mahomes is ready to start in the NFL, sticking with Smith despite the Chiefs losing in the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who did not score a touchdown in their 18-16 win, last season.

"Right now Patrick isn't absolutely ready to play — he's got some work to do," Reid said. "He's going into a great room … he can learn from Alex.

"We have to be patient with him. Tremendous upside. Good person, intelligent with great skill.

"I don't worry about Alex on this. Alex knows we trust him. Alex is the starting quarterback. Nothing is going to change there. The kid is going to take some time. He understands that.

"But there's going to be a day Alex isn't playing anymore and we'll need someone to step in and play."

On comparisons between Mahomes and legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Reid said: "I'm not into comparisons — they're different players. Brett's a Hall of Fame player and this kid has a long way to go before that, but I think when you have an opportunity to talk to him and be around him, he has an energy and certain intensity you like."